the fall - Crawlers part 16
by Awatere11
Summary: Winter is here, fall is over ... or is this the fall I mean? Crawlers are still about and although they have not seen more people they do think they might. Come settle in as the winter snows start to pile up and christmas is coming ya know. If you've not read the other parts to this it will not make much sense. Love my crumbly cakes ... ALT VERSE
1. Chapter 1

1

"So … how long?" Gwen asked, her eyes sliding between the two men who were standing there in the kitchen with her, Rhys shifting nervously as Owen folded his arms and waited for his friend.

"Come on love, we will be there and back before you have the evening meal ready" Rhys sighed softly, tired of the cloying way Gwen was trying to hold him close lately. She still had a couple of months to go, the home was well settled and everyone had their routines set. Today was his day off. He was going to go with Owen into the nearby village to place some flags after the last storm stripped the last ones.

"As long as Ianto is going with" she said as she turned back to the sink and Rhys was about to complain when he realised Ianto would be a good addition, turning to Owen who was already moving to find him.

"Ianto!" Owen roared as he wandered along the hallway and Ianto answered, stepping from the room that was being turned into a knick-knack room for the things they were taking from the other floors. Like a huge storage room. Soon they would need to close the upper levels so they could conserve energy and warmth, their daily routines settled in now.

"We are gonna roar into the village to replace the two flags at the entrance gates, wanna come with?" Owen asked, Ianto looking into the room where Jack was fast asleep on the floor, the little girl asleep on top of him settled for the afternoon it seemed. They looked like they had always been like that, grown like that. Ianto found it wonderful. Comforting to see that they both had room in their hearts for one another. Did that sound soppy? Maybe he was a little … soppy these days.

"Sure" Ianto smiled, pausing to leave a note for Jack before going to change into warm clothing. He came out to find the old Jeep that had been 'borrowed' from a neighbouring farm warmed up and waiting as Owen sat on the dirt bike. Rhys was behind the wheel of the Jeep and Ianto clambered into the passenger seat then clicked his seatbelt.

"Don't trust me?" Rhys joked.

"Nope. Bloody mad, you are!" Ianto quipped happily and Rhys laughed as he hit the accelerator and they roared off on their little mission. Kip watched them go then turned to walk towards the glasshouses, an afternoon of weeding ahead.

"Look at that" Owen pointed as they barrelled along the road with him keeping pace beside the Jeep on Ianto's side, and they watched a jersey cow wandering along, moving to one side for them to pass like it was no big thing. Like … come past or something and hurry up now, places to go, things to shit on.

"How did that get out?" Owen asked as he slowed so as not to startle it with the sound of his bike, Rhys doing the same with the jeep as they quietly passed the bored looking cow who was happily chewing as she walked. No big deal.

"Snow might have broken a branch, fell on a fence … stock is able to get out" Ianto said as he pondered "No farmer to check the gates, something opened at some stage and they found it, simply wandered out. Crashed vehicle early on in the piece and she's been loose all along?"

"Do you think it's OK?" Owen looked back with concern, showing he was worried for the cow.

"It's survived this long, must know about crawlers don't ya think? Hasn't gone for your jugular and I detect no bite marks. Would make a fucking ugly Crawler" Ianto frowned as he rubbed his face and Owen nodded as he laughed softy then throttled up, roaring ahead to leave the two men in the vehicle behind.

"He is a nice wee bloke, isn't he?" Rhys said as he smiled at the disappearing motorbike, "Acts all big and tough but then shows himself as a little boy still."

"Owen cares more than he lets on, yes" Ianto agreed, "I think he is starting to realise that we will not judge him for showing a softer side, it's not weak to worry about things. I know he loves the animals, is a real soft touch. I kind of hope we found all the dogs already though, I don't know if we need another one shitting and pissing everywhere."

"Awwww, come on. You like them too" Rhys snorted.

"Maybe" Ianto said with a fake arrogance, "Smelly things."

Rhys laughed as he knew damned well at least two of the dogs crept into the Library at night to burrow in the bottom of Ianto and Jack's bed to hide from the chilly night air once the fires had died too low preferring him to the children's arms.

Really, it was the cats that had surprised Rhys the most. They seemed to stalk Ianto like he was some sort of Kitty Cat God. Wherever Ianto was, a cat was nearby ignoring him intensely. You might think they didn't like him if not for the fact they ran like mad motherfuckers to see who got closest only to lick themselves and stare into space in the hopes he would bop their head absently while passing them.

Like it was a competition.

Weird little squishies.


	2. Chapter 2

2

The village was silent as it usually was this time of day and Ianto took the time to stretch his legs as Rhys and Owen changed out the flags. The two poles stood at either side of the entrance to the village like sentries so it was the right spot for some flags to let those in the know see that friendlies were close by. Those who knew the school would head straight for them along the road with a smaller flag here and there to mark the way like breadcrumbs. Tosh's sensors able to pick them up easily for warnings.

"Ya know, I think we must have all the dogs, none have come out to watch" Owen said as he landed by Rhys and looked around, the Jeep parked with the bonnet against the pole for Owen to stand on. Smallest, he didn't dent the metal and he enjoyed the superman leap form the bonnet to the ground like it was from a building or something.

"Yeah, there is usually a couple that don't like humans skulking about in the shadows watching us like bloody miniature wolves though" Rhys frowned as he looked down a side street, "Sort of weird. A real ghost town now."

"They must have moved on to the next town where there are other dogs. A pack might have run though and scooped them up. Remember Tosh saw that pack of about fifteen or sixteen dogs running along the road the other day like they were on their daily run. Just kept going." Owen reminded him "A new world. Stands to reason they are reverting back to their animalistic roots."

"What does that make cats then?" Rhys pointed to a cat watching them from a nearby rooftop of what appeared to be the local cinema "Gods again?"

Owen squinted into the sunlight as he looked at the cat and sighed, "Damn. A straggler. Looks hungry too, did we get the box of stuff?"

The two of them pulled out a cardboard box and rummaged through it until Owen came out triumphantly wielding a can of tuna "Ta Da!"

"Yay" Rhys said with a droll expression, "Offerings for the gods."

"Yeah" Owen shoved the tin into his back pocket and started to shimmy up the drain pipe as Ianto turned to watch, his face changing to one of surprise as he started to jog towards them.

"Owen, be careful!" Ianto called out as he got near Rhys and looked up, shading his eyes with his hand like Rhys was "We need you in one piece. A broken leg or broken neck might not help Gwen with the baby!"

Owen swung to gape, "What? You only want me for the baby delivering business?"

"Well, come on mate. You have to admit, you are a bit hard to live with" Rhys answered with the same bland look, "We sometimes have to take turns going into another room and swigging from a bottle of rum we have hidden just to resist the urge to smother you with a pillow. We keep a little teddy bear by the bottle and squeeze it while hissing horrible things to it. We call it Owen."

"Do you now!" Owen tried to sound insulted but the corners of his mouth were twitching as he finished opening the can for the cat and turned to place his hands on his hips in a parody of Jack's Captain pose, "Is that right fuckface!"

"Once the baby is born we shall have a ritualistic bonfire where we will dance naked, scream our thanks to the gods as the afterbirth waits to be buried in the burnt ground" Ianto said in a deep growl, "We shall place Owen Bear on the top of the pyre and let our hatred of your puniness rise to the gods that they may forgive us when we accidentally push you off a cliff … once Gwen and Bub are doing well of course."

"Yeah?" Owen sneered, "And what if she gets preggers again?"

"Ah!" Rhys turned to Ianto and shook a finger at him "He's got us there."

"Shit" Ianto's' arms dropped in defeat, "You are right. We might have to keep him then."

"Maybe a little room we lock him in at night so we feel calmer?" Rhys canted his head, "Let the mad thing out of his box for walkies and climbing poles? Baby catching and stuff?"

Owen had started to laugh, pronouncing them both pricks as he turned to watch the cat eat, his face lighting up as two more little ones came out of nowhere and he swung back, "Hey! Two kittens too! Jackpot!"

"Well, aren't you having a day of it then!" Ianto said then blanched "Owen?"

Owen had turned to walk towards the cats and Ianto started for the drainpipe Owen had climbed, "Owen, get back here. Come on, you do not know how stable that roof is!"

"It's fine mother!" Owen said as he reappeared back at the edge, a kitten in his hands, "Look. Friendly too. Awwww … fluffy. Mimi is gonna…."

Whatever Owen was going to say was lost in the sound of the tin roof finally giving way and Rhys screamed with horror as his friend simply ….

Dropped out of sight.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Ianto moved fast, not even bothering with the drain pipe. As Rhys gaped Ianto simply ran up the side of the building like it was somehow slanted, not totally perpendicular. Had Rhys not been terrified for Owen he might have been impressed with the magic act but all he could think of was the fact Owen had fallen from a great height.

Ianto got to the hole and looked into the darkness, his stomach twisting as he heard Owen's frightened breathing, wondering why he was not calling out then he had the horrible realisation why.

A movie theatre. A huge building that is in total darkness during the day.

Shit.

Ianto thought for a moment then stepped off the edge of the hole into the black space, dropping into the darkness where he landed like a cat, his knees slightly bent and he let his eyes adjust to the darkness, taking in the main viewing area and seats, Owen barely visible on the stage where he had obviously run like a mad thing once he had realised what was happening.

A nest.

Now they knew why there were still Crawlers about at night. They had developed enough sense to find shelter before sunrise like he had surmised and right now they were smack bang in the middle of a fucking nest of the things, all lying about like big anti-lizards basking in the cool dark.

Owen was looking over at Ianto with silent fear, gripping the edge of the stage as he tried not to make any sound that might alert the Crawlers scattered about in some state of slumber. Ianto started to pick his way towards Owen as he scanned for a possible exit strategy that might work for them both. He knew this was bad, really bad and the last thing they needed was for Rhys to remember the walkie-talkie Owen had on the belt of his…

" _Guys?"_

Owen squeaked as Ianto lunged for him, seizing the walkie-talkie and throwing it back into the back seats, then dragging Owen towards the nearest exit. The Crawlers exploded around them as if tazered, all making a horrible inhuman scratching noise as they lashed about and Owen clung to Ianto as he looked back over his shoulder, Ianto pulling him for the exit that he knew was not going to be unlocked … shit…shit….shit

The loud roaring had him changing course, pulling Owen to seat to one side as Owen screamed with fear, a crawler seizing his foot for an agonizing moment before Ianto managed to yank him free. They made it past the seats as the doors with the exit sign above them suddenly tore open, flying back to allow sunlight in and those Crawlers writhing in the way all screamed as they fought the pain the sunlight caused to their nervous systems.

"Run!" Ianto roared, pushing Owen ahead of him as they ran the obstacle course of convulsing bodies, the Jeep now parked with the tow rope and door still attached to the front bumper as Rhys ran to shoot at the crawlers who were staggering into the light.

"Rhys!" Owen yelled, running to throw his arms around him, Ianto seizing the gun to turn and fire as well. The two men embraced as Owen looked back at Ianto who was striding into the building before turning at the doorway to yell for the spare canister of gasoline.

"Yeah!" Owen straightened up, "Yeah. Right, the cats can get out right?"

"They got in, they will get out" Rhys assured his friend as he reached into the back of the jeep and yanked out the red container then advanced on the bulldog to throw it into Ianto "Come on Owen. Get the road flares from the glove box!"

Owen ran to the Jeep and scavenged about, things flailing for the glove box to the floor where Ianto would complain later as he picked them all up, finally finding one "Gotcha!"

"Fire in the hole!" he yelled as he ran past Rhys who was coming out with the now empty container and Rhys gaped as Owen ripped the end off the stick then cracked it to ignite.

"OWEN!" Rhys yelled as Owen released it, the flare flying into the darkness…. Over the head of the man running out after them and Ianto watched it fly over his head, craning to look back as it hit the seats Rhys had doused with fuel. Owen finally remembered Ianto and grimaced.

"Ah….sorry?"

Ianto shook his head as he continued to run, the darkness exploding with light and sound as the fire erupted. Ianto walked out with the fire and smoke swirling around his feet, his face stony as he glared at Owen. Owen was holding the Jeep's front impact bars with wide eyes like he might have to run.

Rhys was the first to laugh, large brays as he pointed at the building and choked out "Bags not telling Jack you almost burned Ianto up!"

"ME?" Owen squeaked, "You poured the fuel!"

Ianto laughed as they clambered into the jeep, several cats running past them as Owen sighed with relief.

Damn that was close.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Jack looked at the men as they clambered from the jeep, a cat peering from the back of it with wide eyes as two other tiny heads popped up and he wondered if they hadn't even noticed their passengers. He went to point it out but froze, his finger already pointing as he took in the clothing Ianto was wearing … the scorched clothing with holes in it … and he blinked slowly.

"Guess what!" Owen crowed "We found a big nest of Crawlers in the old movie theatre."

"What?" Kip asked as he came to watch them walking towards the house, "How many?"

"At least thirty, maybe forty!" Owen was still talking excitedly, hands flapping about, "I was right in the middle of them. Like … they were asleep or something. There in the dark. Like … they were in stasis or something."

"Dormant?" Jack canted his head.

"Yeah. Looks like during the day they all find somewhere and sort of … sleep I guess" Rhys nodded as he came to stand with Owen, Ianto brushing past with the smell of smoke reminding Jack of why he was mad.

"And Ianto?"

"We burned the place to the ground!" Owen said happily.

"Don't you mean razed?" Mica asked as she stood nearby listening.

"Nah, it went down" Owen said with exaggerated motions of his arms.

Mica frowned and then went in to a long explanation of the meaning of the word 'Raze' as opposed to 'Raise'. Owen struggled to look confused, his snorts finally telling her he had been playing and she threw her little arms up "I don't know! He's too much for me. Aunty Tosh, I do NOT know how you do not kill him in his sleep! Gods save us!"

"Did you hear her!" Owen pointed after her with surprise.

Jakc followed Ianot to their room where he was removing his damaged clothing, his face drawn.

"Ianto? Are you OK?"

"Owen scared the life out of me. He fell through the roof into the pit of Crawlers. I … there was a moment I thought I had lost him" Ianto turned to Jack and stepped into his arms "My heart stopped, I swear to the gods Cariad."

Jack held him and breathed in the smoke and that unmistakable smell he remembered so well. Burnt flesh.

"Where you burnt?"

"No, it's all crispy critters" Ianto muttered into his chest. "I was sort of still in there when Owen lit the place up without thinking, that's all."

"what?" Jack drew back and Ianto seized his shirt to stop him

"Hey, it's OK. We thought it was funny. Honest. I was in no danger, he was the silly Twat when he fell through the roof" Ianto laughed softly, pulling Jack close again "You are lovely, ya know."

"Gods, he is such an arse sometimes, never thinks about consequences" Jack sighed, hugging Ianto as he pondered things "So … sounds like quite a nest you found out there."

"Yeah, and I don't like it. I want to make sure we don't have spot like that for them, as long as they have a bolthole during the day they will use it. More will come and then we will always have them about. I want to go through every building and clean them out, I don't care if we rip every roof off … I want those fuckers to keep moving through." Ianto huffed, "The city hall … somewhere with a basement?"

"OK, we will go each fine day, building by building until the weather is too bad, OK?" Jack promised "Then in spring we will finish any we didn't get to. OK?"

"OK" Ianto nodded accepting the offer as he knew Jack would be a man of his word. He knew Ianto wanted these kids safe no matter what. Especially with Gwen so close to delivering. The last thing they needed was those things creeping about with a baby crying in the night to lure them in.

"Come on, the evening meal will be soon and you smell love" Jack said after a while, "We will fill the huge bathtub in the medical room, soak the smell away and hopefully … hopefully not fall asleep"

"Ahhhhh, you sweet talker you" Ianto sighed, "Will you wash my hair with the apple shampoo? The good stuff?"

"I will massage your scalp, lick your ears and if we lock the door I will also fuck you into the tub so hard we might leave an indent" Jack whispered, Ianto letting his head fall back as he laughed at his lovely mate.

"Yeah, sounds good" Ianto smiled, stroking Jack's cheek for a moment like he was memorising him, then he nodded and let the hand fall, turning to get some fresh clothing as Jack got him a robe then headed off to fill that tub.

If this day was gonna be a hot one, Jack was going to end it on a high note for his love.

And hopefully his heart would ease too.

Almost lost him there.

Almost.


	5. Chapter 5

5

"But you weren't there, it was epic" Owen hissed, leaning in close as Toshiko listened, Gwen and the others all in the kitchen and she moved closer.

"Not even a small burn?"

"Honestly love it was…. Like …" Owen waved his hands around himself, "Like he had an invisible force field, it was amazing to watch. The flames seemed to move around him like they were scared of him. Even the smoke swirled and licked about the floor, running from his feet like snakes."

"So … elemental control" she surmised, "Like a fire bender or something."

Owen looked at her blankly.

"The Last Air Bender. The movie?" she rolled her eyes, "I know you didn't read the books but ... the movie. Elementals able to control one of the elements. A water bender can move water, freeze it and stuff. An air bender can make storms and wind … earth can raise ground up under your feet, make boulders roll …"

"Fire can control fire …like I get that too" Owen huffed, "Sounds like a chick flick to me."

"It was a young adult one that I enjoyed!" she bristled, "It was for all the family."

"Well there ya go" Owen shrugged, "Never had a family did I, how could I watch something like that? Adopt a family for a weekend?"

"Like what?" Julie asked as she wandered past.

"Last Air Bender" Tosh said distractedly.

"Oh yeah, instant classic that" she stopped and smiled as she looked down at Tosh then turned to call to her mate, "Jase, The Last Air Bender."

"Um … I think it's under Fantasy so … it will be in the DVDs in the third level common room if we haven't ransacked tht yet." He answered then looked at Kip who was walking past with a plate of food "Kip? The DVD collection in the big kid Common Room, is it up still there?"

"Yeah, I forgot about that. In the locked cabinet behind the sound system. We should really bring them down. Might be a few other things up there, board games and stuff" Kip agreed as Tosh lit up.

"The Last Air Bender, you have it .. I mean … we have it here?" she gasped with glee, "MOVIE NIGHT!"

"What we watching!" Gwen asked as she waddled in and sank into a chair.

"The Last Air Bender" Tosh replied.

"God! I love that one." Gwen gushed, "We still have that popcorn right? We can start movie nights each week, what great idea."

They all started gushing as Owen flopped back and Kip smiled at him as he said softly, "And all the Jaws ones, the Die Hard ones…"

Owen sat up and looked at him with more interest, "Maybe we should go check it out while it's still daylight."

They headed off, Rhys following as he dried his hands and called out that he wanted to see what horrors were there and they all laughed as he said a good scare might be good for the boring life they lead.

"What's this?" Ianto asked as he entered with Jack, his hair still wet and flopping over his eyes like a sweet little boy. Gwen's face changed to one of affection as she reached out to flick it back.

"Awww, you need a trim there pumpkin" she crooned.

"Yeah, I didn't realise how long it had got until it got wet in there, in the shower I flick it back and dry it with the towel as I get out" Ianto grinned "I need some off. But not too much. Jack loves the way it curls at the sides and back.

"You have lovely hair" Gwen agreed as she stroked it some more, "Lovely boy. Come on, some are already eating and the kids have been fed. You took took your time and they were hungry."

"Sorry, we were getting clean" Ianto said with that childlike ability he has to look innocent but then Jack ruined it.

"Dirty too" he leered.

"Jack!"

Jack waggled his eyebrows as everyone laughed then Ianto looked at Owen who had returned with several DVDs in his hand, frowning with a strange look before whispering "Fire bender. Silly notion, just natural displacement with me walking."

Owen watched them leave then turned to look at Crypto, "You nark!"

Crypto simply grinned back showing his teeth.

He didn't care if Owen was annoyed with his conversation being broadcast through the collective.

This was Crypto's pack as well and he knew when to protect and when to help. Owen was on the right track but not quite there, hopefully by sharing this would encourage Ianto to share too.

They all deserved to know that they were safer than they thought.

They hadn't all seen what those on the road had. What Ianto was becoming here in this place of power.

Ianto was not an air bender at all.

He was an Ethereal.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Crypto found Ianto in the back room full of linens.

"Ianto?"

"Hey buddy, Andy isn't here" Ianto said as he turned to face him and Crypto canted his head in question. "Ah … sorry Cryp. You are giving off affection in waves, I thought …"

"That I don't love you?" Crypto teased and Ianto snorted at his mistake, of course the affection was for him.

"Sorry buddy, this is all a bit new to me. All these … things happening" Ianto grimaced, "Is everything OK with you? I know it's been a while since you had a relationship, Andy is a good man and I am glad you are happy."

"Yes, we are both lucky" Crypto settled on a pile of sheets and looked around the room "So. We have all these rooms full of things so we can shut the other floors down to conserve power and heat right?"

"Right." Ianto nodded, "But you know that. What is it? Really?"

"You wanna tell me what really happened" Crypto said softly, "Just us here."

Ianto snorted, "Well OK. I admit it. I am Doctor Strange!"

Crypto huffed with annoyance as Ianto laughed then Ianto admitted, "This X-Men thing is getting out of hand, look … I am even mixing comics here. Look. I don't know. Honestly. I saw the flare fly overhead, watched the flames take hold and it all seemed to ….well … slow down."

"Owen said it looked like you had a bubble around you, like the flames and smoke were trying to get away from you, not towards" Crypto informed him, "You think you projected something like the opposite of a magnet?"

Ianto stared at him "Like … I repelled it?"

"Yeah. It was like a living thing afraid of you" Owen nodded as he stepped from the doorway into the room, little shit had been listening all the time, "Mind you, you did look pretty scary stalking along."

"Funny, Jack likes to call it stalking too" Ianto snorted.

"What do you think really happened" Crypto said to Owen with obvious scorn "Ianto controls the fire dragon that was wanting to eat his soul but looked into it and was too scared?"

"Well … when you say it like that…" Owen frowned as he stared at the ceiling then snorted "Yeah. Like that."

Ianto laughed as he turned away, "Cut it out both of you!"

Crypto laughed as well, poking at Owen, "More likely the draft coming in from the doors opening was sucking air from direction he was walking and without oxygen the fire can't survive."

"Yeah, I hadn't thought of that" Owen pondered as Crypto patted his shoulder then walked off looking for Andy. Owen watched him leave and turned back to the room now empty except for him. "That was weird."

"What was?"

Owen jumped as he swung to see Scout standing there. Owen spluttered "You scared the shit out of me!"

"I do that sometimes" the small man said with that slow blink he sometimes did when amused.

"Crypto. Did you see him just then? It was like he was trying to hypnotise me" Owen frowned.

"He does that sometimes" Scout grinned, his small teeth pointy.

"Scout, this thing with the Crawlers … I mean it was fucking scary but he was so calm. Deadly."

"Ice" Scout said softly like he was correcting him "Ianto was Ice."

"Yeah!" Owen nodded as he started to walk with Scout from the room "Like ice."

"He was Ice" Scout repeated softly as he shook his head, "Damn. He's done it."

.

.

.

.

"FOUND IT!" Tosh was excitedly running from the elevator with the DVD being waved about over her head like it was some sort of trophy.

"Joy" Ianto said blandly then smiled to show he was kidding "The movie room is finished so let's make some snacks and things while the kids finish putting enough bedding in there to smother a small army."

They walked together with that light step of friends and Jack watched from a doorway, leaning against the frame as he smiled softly, drinking in Ianto's delight in a simple thing like a movie.

After a few moments he pushed off the framework and followed them to the movie room where Tosh showed the children, their cheering loud and maybe a bit overdone but he could see that this might be something tht could turn into a common event as the snow started to really fall, winter here and he was relived as it meant that haunt to the village would be the last one for a while.

He also pondered Crawlers in the snow.

Did they even navigate in the white stuff?

Hopefully not.

.

.

.

.

.

ethereal

ADJECTIVE

extremely delicate and light in a way that seems **not to be of this world.**


	7. Chapter 7

7

They watched the movie with laughter, popcorn and some fresh lemonade.

"Ginger beer" Ianto said after a while, "We need to get some down."

"Huh?" Owen looked at him with confusion.

"Ginger beer bug" Ianto repeated, "Me Gran had one. You make ginger beer, bottle it and let it brew. Then you have some amazing fizzy."

"I remember that" Gwen joined the conversation, "My Mam had one."

"We can cultivate one" Ianto assured her, "Yummy."

"I would like some real beer" Owen pouted.

"And when we get bladdered and you decide to dance on the rooftop of a building, I can run in there to save you while you conspire to burn it down around me" Ianto said with wide eyes, a wistful sigh "Happy days."

Owen frowned, then snorted, "Yeah. Fair comment."

"Chocolate" Mica said and held out her hand, "Someone, please chocolate me!"

Jason and Julie laughed as Jason leaned over to slap some chocolate into the little hand and they all settled back to discuss the movie.

Jack was snuggled under a blanket with Ianto and the warm body in Jack's arms was solid yet soft enough that Jack could squeeze now and then to produce a smile. Ianto leaned back into Jack's lap like he did when they were in the bath and Jack also loved that because Ianto would let his head fall back to Jack's shoulder while Jack played with that chest hair that was so intriguing to a man who came from the time where body hair was a thing of the past.

"Cariad?"

"Hmmmm?" Jack was watching Toshiko change the DVD to something Rhys was asking for.

"Thank you."

Jack looked at Ianto with surprise, "What? What for?"

"For coming" Ianto smiled as he snuggled back more, "For turning up. Joining in … I don't know … for not running away but into the battle I guess. I mean … when this all went tits up you didn't think, 'damn better get out of dodge' did you. No. You tried to help. Thanks for that, for staying this out."

"Ah" Jack felt something deep down agreeing with Ianto that it may have bene easier to hitch a ride on a space freighter going past when the shit hit the fan but then if he had, he wold have never met Ianto and found this calmness inside himself that he didn't know still existed.

"Where I grew up, before something terrible happed. There was this beauty to the place. Like some of the tropical island paradises, Boeshane was balmy and life was simple. I never thought I would find that again, when I came here I found some places nice to visit, they felt calm and inviting but not the same. It took me a long time to realise I was subconsciously searching for home. Why each place didn't feel quite right" Jack whispered, "I came to the conclusion that I would never feel that level of belonging again."

"And now?"

Jack smiled as he cupped Ianto's face and kissed him then whispered softly "Now? I am home."

Ianto shone as he wriggled to his side and curled up in Jack's arms, Jack revelling in the arms snaking around him as they both settled back to snooze.

The movie played and people laughed at the silliness of it.

Ianto and Jack drifted in the moment as they both knew how bloody lucky they really were.

Both of them not worthy of this level of love.

.

.

.

.

So ends this section.

Thanks for reading.


End file.
